HANDS up who is following the rugby league restructuring saga. Well, there was another twist this week as the controversial split league option currently on the table was amended.

Moreover, there also now seems to be an acceptance among some that choosing a new structure might end up being less of a problem than deciding how central funding should be shared out within it.

(For those too confused by it all, feel free to jump straight to the next section of this column, as it doesn’t get any easier.

For those interested but who don’t know the background, read this Knights Diary column from May 18, and then see last week’s which told how Super League players themselves have voted.)

Basically, the general acceptance in the game is that the current Super League licensing system, which precludes the excitement of promotion and relegation (P&R), doesn’t work and that there is a need to have a system whereby a club’s performances on the pitch determine what league they play in.

However, the problem with straight P&R is the huge schism between the full-time top tier and the part-time second tier (described by some as like going from Conference North in football straight into the Premier League).

The Rugby Football League are thus in consultation with the sport’s stakeholders over how to restructure it all for the good of everyone.

The three options on the table were: Model ‘A’ – two 12-team leagues that split into three leagues of eight after 11 games; Model ‘B’ – two ten-team divisions of Super League; Model ‘C’ – 12-team Super League, with one P&R place to and from the Championship.

Model ‘C’, a return to how things were before licensing, seems the most straightforward on the face of it but comes with its own issues, while Model ‘B’ is the outsider.

Model ‘A’, meanwhile, is the one which has been getting the column inches, partly because it’s convoluted and partly because it appears to be the RFL’s preferred option nonetheless. It has had its detractors, however, which explains why there has been this aforementioned amendment (or “improvement” according to the RFL).

The new proposal would be for the 12-team Super League and the 12-team Championship to now play a full season before splitting into three tiers of eight.

The top eight continue with seven round-robin fixtures against each other, culminating in a top-four play-off.

The middle eight (comprising the bottom four of Super League and top four of Championship) start over, playing each other once, with the top four of this group going into next season’s Super League and the bottom four going into the Championship.

The bottom eight continue their season by playing each other one more time with the sole purpose of avoiding relegation into a new Conference.

The proponents of Model ‘A’ see it as a more realistic way for clubs to rise from the Championship to Super League without the dangerous “win or bust” mentality that comes with straight P&R. Clubs aiming at promotion instead would go into the middle eight and get the chance to prove their worth against clubs trying to avoid relegation.

However, there would still be an unlevel playing field given the four from the Championship would have had much less central funding than the four from Super League.

The crux of the issue therefore – as with most things in this world – still comes down to money.

Basically there’s not enough in the game to support 20-odd full-time clubs – in fact, there’s every indication the 14 Super League clubs agree there’s not enough for 14. So how should it be divvied up?

Central funding cannot be shared evenly between Super League and Championship clubs as the top clubs, on less money, would no longer be able to afford top wages, meaning leading players would switch to the NRL or, worse, rugby union.

Therefore there has to be a sliding scale. However, the 12 Super League clubs must be given reasonably similar handouts otherwise you get an unfair lopsided league.

But then if Super League clubs get wildly more than Championship clubs, like at present, then how are the Championship four supposed to finish above the Super League four in the aforementioned middle eight?

Similarly, if the top four in the Championship are awarded with considerably more than the rest in the Championship, then you end up with another lopsided tier comprising haves and have-nots.

In all fairness to the RFL, coming up with the best league structure is easier said than done, hence the recruitment of sports business consultants and the need to discuss with all sections of the game.

Coming up with a formula on how to spread money around might be even harder.


BY the way, given that there are 28 clubs in the top two tiers currently and there are only a maximum of 24 clubs in the restructured system, it will mean four teams being dumped into the Conference at the end of the 2014 season.

Hopefully the Knights won’t be one of them. The good news for this quartet, though, is that there is a general acceptance there should be at least one P&R spot between the Conference and the Championship as part of the new structure – giving them a lot to play for too.


AN additional problem in all this, meanwhile, is the fact the clock is ticking.

Clubs need to know the answers within a month or so in order to get budgets sorted for a 2014 season which will arguably be the most important yet, especially for clubs – possibly, if hopefully not, including York – who will be vying to avoid dropping out of this new structure into the new Conference.

There is to be a meeting of the full Rugby League Council on July 3. There will then be a meeting of Super League clubs on July 10 and a meeting of Championship clubs on July 17.

A vote to determine it all is likely to be taken at an extraordinary general meeting in late July or early August.


AAANYWAY. There are some tickets left for the Knights Independent Supporters’ Society’s hog roast and disco night next weekend.

The event, on Saturday, July 6, at the Huntington Sports Club, will feature a question and answer session with boss Gary Thornton and assistant Mick Ramsden. It all starts at 8pm and ends late.

Tickets cost £7 for adults and £4 for under-16s and are available from KISS committee members or by phoning Gary on 01904 634902.

All proceeds will go to the squad builder fund.

It’ll be a good night so get down.


Should Dan be England RLWC man?

EX-KNIGHT Danny Brough currently has the longest scoring streak among Super League players, having registered points in each of Huddersfield’s last 16 games.

Brough’s scoring run began with a try and four goals in his side’s 32-8 win at Leeds on March 8.

As an aside, there were renewed calls this week for the 30-year-old to be taken back into the England fold for this year’s World Cup following the season-ending injury to fellow half-back Gareth Widdop.

Brough has not been in the frame recently under Steve McNamara and duly pledged allegiance back to Scotland, whom he captained at the last World Cup.

His supporters say there aren’t many better half-backs out there, and certainly very few with a better kicking game.

There’s been no indication, however, that McNamara will turn to him, and the player will almost certainly be wearing Bravehearts blue come the autumn.